Tom Jager

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Olympic medal record
Men’s Swimming
Gold Seoul 1988 4x100 m freestyle relay
Silver Seoul 1988 50 m freestyle
Gold Barcelona 1992 4x100 m freestyle relay
Bronze Barcelona 1992 50 m freestyle

Thomas ("Tom") Michael Jager (born October 6, 1964) is a former freestyle swimmer from the Collinsville, Ill. United States, who who earned seven medals, including five golds, in three Summer Olympics.

Jager ended his career at the 1996 Olympic Trials, where at the age of 31, he attempted to qualify for his fourth Olympic team. He was a leader in the world of swimming for post-graduates. He was the 1988 and 1992 Olympic team captain and the 1991 World Aquatics Championships team captain. Tom Jager won six state titles in Illnois at Collinsville High School, tied with fellow Olympian Ron Gora for the most ever.

When he retired, he was the world record-holder in the 50m free, a record he set in a nationally-televised match race versus his career-long nemesis and friend Matt Biondi. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Jager was second to Biondi in the 50m free. In 1992, Jager was third and Biondi was second in the Olympic sprint. He and Biondi are the only two Americans to win gold medals in three Olympiads; both did it in the 400m free relay (in 1984, Jager swam on the prelim squad and in 1988 and ‘92, he swam on the championship finals teams). In 1984 and ‘88, he won gold medals swimming in prelims of the 400m medley relay. He earned eleven U.S. National titles and five NCAA crowns.

In 2001 Jager was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

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